I just read your post about your 5 1/2 year old and it sounds very similar to my 9 year old. He has extreme fear of going to bed and almost has a panic attack every night. He gets so afraid that he throws up. He is also scared to take a shower if someone else isn't in the same room. He too scores off the charts on academic testing and is in gifted & talented programs at school. In every other way, he is a fairly normal child with lots of friends. Did you ever find out what the problem was with your little boy? My doctor has suggested a processing or sensory disorder...